Magnetic floor sweeper



Get. 6, 1953 D. E. STEM MAGNETIC FLOOR SWEEPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 15 1949 R 3 MT V5 m. E D L A N 0 D ATTORNEY Get. 6, M53 D. E. STEM MAGNETIC FLOOR SWEEPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1949 INVENTOR. DONALD E. STEM ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGNETIC FLOOR SWEEPER Donald E. Stem, San Francisco, Calif.

Application August 15, 1949, Serial No. 110,447

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a magnetic sweeper.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a magnetic sweeper which can be rolled over the surface to be swept to pick up magnetic ob- .jects and wherein the collected magnetic objects can be quickly dumped from the magnets into a container or collector.

Another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic sweeper which is self-adjustable to irregularities of the surface to be swept so as to travel at suitable spacing above the ground for attracting and carrying away magnetic objects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic sweeper which can be rolled over the surface to be swept, and which can be easily inverted over a collector, and from which the magnetic objects can be dumped into said collector; the magnet and the collector forming a portable unit.

Features and advantages of the herein invention include: The flexibility of application and size permitting the use of magnets covering large or small areas with equal efficiency and without limitation as to size of sweeper; facility of dumping collected objects from the magnets; simplicity of structure; easy adaptability for indoor or outdoor use; ease of cleaning of magnets and provision of a collector carried at all times with the magnet for repeated and rapid dumping and collection of magnetic objects during continued operation; self-adjustability of the positions of the magnets to uneven surfaces.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following specification, and as defined in the following claims; hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine my-- self to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a form of my sweeper unit.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side-view of said sweeper unit.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of said sweeper unit in dumpingposition.

Fig. 4 is a front view of said sweeper unit, with the non-magnetic sheet broken away.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another form of my sweeper.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view of the second form of the sweeper.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental detail of the three suit able mountings of the magnet roller.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the second form of the sweeper, and Fig. 9 is a side View of the sweeper attached to a dump truck.

In carrying out my invention in the forms shown in Figs. 1-4 I make use of a portable frame I, which includes an axle 2,' on each end of which rotates a wheel 3. On the axle 2 are mounted a series of spaced brackets 6 turnable with the axle 2. On each bracket 6 is suitably mounted a permanent magnet I having a magnetic collector plate 8 on its bottom.

On the axle 2 are journalled the arms 9 of a hopper II which opens upwardly. A handle bar 12 extends from the hopper ll, andterminates in a cross-handle l3 for pushing the unit along the floor. v

A sheet M of non-magnetic material extends across all the magnets, through the entire width of the set of spaced magnets l and covers the same. This sheet is flexible, and may be made of plastic material or fabric or canvas as shown. In the lower end of the canvas sheet I4 is a strip I! of magnetic material which is magnetically held to the undersides or backsides of the magnetic plates 8 above the rear edgesthereof. The sheet I4 is then extended forwardly over the faces of said plates 8 and then upwardly over and above the brackets 6 to the forward top' end l8 of the hopper H.

A tripping handle l9 extends from eachend of the axle 2 and the magnets 1 therewith upwardly and rearwardly to the front end 18 of thehopper H as shown in Fig. 3. In this inverted position, the magnetic end of the sheet 14- containing the magnetic strip I1 is pulled off the plates 8 and the sheet is inverted over the hopper ll, dumping the collected magnetic objects into the collector hopper ll. Then the sheet 14 is reassembled over the magnetic plates 8 and.

the magnets I are turned. back to sweeping position for further operation.

In the formshown in Figs. 5-8, spaced magnets 2| are mounted separately self-adjustably on the axle 22. On each magnet 2| are a pair of suspension yokes 23 slidably held on bearing blocks 24, An adjustable screw stop 26 in the top of each yoke 23 bears against the top of'the bearing block 24. A coil spring 21 between the yoke bottom 28 on the magnet 2| and the bearing block 24 yieldably urges the yoke and the magnet downwardly into sweeping position. Each magnet 2| has thereon a magnetic plate 29, over each of which is secured a sheet 3| of non-magnetic material. One end of this sheet 3| is held on the forward edge of the back side of the magnetic plate 29 by suitable screws 32. The other end of the sheet 3| is held on the rear edge of the backside of the magnetic plate 29 by a magnetic strip 33 therein to permit easy dumping of collected objects when the magnets are inverted.

The axle 22 has handles 34 at its ends for inverting all the magnets simultaneously over the hoppers 36 removably held onthe carriage'frame 31 journalled on said axle 22. A towing connection 38 is provided on said frame 31.

Between the adjacent magnets 2| and at the outside end of the-outside magnets 2| are tiltably mounted roller wheels 39, which ride on the ground and follow the contour of the ground. These roller wheels 39 raise and lower the respective ends of the magnets 2| so as to locate the respective magnetic plates 29 at suitable inclines for sweeping the ground. The independent yieldable mounting at each end of each magnet compensates for such self-adjustment, although the axle 22 may remain at constant substantially horizontal position. Each of these roller wheels rotates on a shaft 40, the ends of which are mounted on transverse pivots 4| in brackets 42 on the respective magnet caseup r plates.

In the form shown in- Fig. 9, the magnetic sweeper assembly 46 is mounted on spaced arm 4!- which latter are pivotally suspended from the sides 48 of the rear-end of a vehicle, such as a dump truck 49.. Suitable device is provided to turn the arms 41 so as to invert the magnet assembly 46 over and above the truck. body 43 for dumping the collected objects into the truck as heretofore described.

The magnet assembly 46 in this last mentioned. form, may be either of the previously described types, it may be a single magnet unit equal to the width of the truck, or it may be made in sections. Roller wheels on said magnet assembly 46 roll on the ground, and suitable. shock absorbers are provided to allow for unevenness of the ground. For instance, the spring mounting shown in Fig. 6, may be used or a hydraulic or spring shock absorber may be interconnected on each suspending arm. 41.

In the present illustration in Fig. 9 the magnet inverting; device. includes a crank handle 52 in a bracket 53 rotating a worm 54 which. latter turns a. gear sector 56 on the pivoted end of the arm 41. As the crank handle 52 is rotated, the arm 4! is swung around its pivot. In the inverted position, not shown, the non-magnetic covering can be peeled off the magnet and the collected objects are dumped into the truck.

This form of my sweeper is particularly adapted for roadwork, namely in large dump trucks moving over the roads to pick up nuts, bolts, nails, and other objects responsive to magnetic attraction.

The magnetic sweeper herein described has no limitation as to size and it may be used indoors on floors, or in yards, or on roads, with small handle hoppers, larger collector Vessels, or dump trucks. In all instances, the magnet is highly effective and can be cleaned quickly by simply inverting it and then peeling the non-magnetic 7 sheet cover off to dump the collected articles.

I claim:

1. In a magnetic sweeper, a portable frame, means on both sides of said frame rotatable about a common axis for supporting said frame on the surface to be swept, a magnet, a device for supporting the magnet on the frame swingably from an operative position to a substantially inverted position about said common axis, a removable non-magnetic covering on the magnet, and a collector element on the frame adjacent the inverted position of the magnet to collect the objects dropped thereinto when said covering is removed from said magnet in said inverted position.

2.. In a magnetic sweeper, a magnet, a swingable support for the magnet, and a removable non-magnetic cover for the working face of the magnet being swingable with said magnet, one end of said cover being responsive to magnetic attraction to attach to said magnet.

3. In a magnetic sweeper, a magnet, a swingable support for the magnet, and a removable non-magnetic cover for the working face of the magnet being swingable with said magnet, oneend of said cover being responsive to magnetic attraction to attach to said magnet, the other end of cover being pivotally fixed with respect to said magnet to permit the swinging of the cover away from said magnet.

4. In a magnetic sweeper, a frame adapted-to be rolled on the ground, a magnetic pick-up device depending from the frame with Working face toward the ground, a hopper element on the.

frame spaced from said. magnetic device, means for turning said magnetic device upwardly to. said hopper element, and. a non-magnetic sheet covering the working face of said magnetic. device and being removable at willv over said hopper element for dumping collected magnetic objects from said working face into said hopper element.

5. In a magnetic sweeper, an axle, wheels on the axle to roll on the ground, a magnet suspended from the axle, the working face of the magnet normally facing toward the ground, a hopper frame journalled on the axle, a towing. element on the frame, a hopper on the frame, means for turning the magnet to substantially inverted. position with. the working face toward said hopper, and means for removing collected magnetic objects from said working face into said hopper.

6. In a magnetic sweeper, an axle, wheels: on the axle to roll on the ground, a magnet suspended from the axle, the" working face of the. magnet normally facing toward the ground, a hopper frame journalled on the axle, a towing element on the frame, a hopper on the frame, means for turning the magnet to substantially inverted position with the working face toward said hopper, a non-magnetic sheet covering said working face removably held on said magnet for removing collected magnetic objects from said working face into said hopper.

7. In a magnetic sweeper, an axle, wheels on the axle to roll on the ground, a magnet sussaid hopper, a non-magnetic sheet. extended over said working face and having an end thereof fixed with respect to said magnet, and means to removably attach the other end of the sheet to said magnet.

8. In a magnetic sweeper, an axle, wheels on the axle to roll on the ground, a magnet suspended from the axle, the working face of the magnet normally facing toward the ground, a hopper frame journalled on the axle, a towing element on the frame, a hopper on the frame, means for turning the magnet to substantially inverted position with the working face toward said hopper, a non-magnetic sheet extended over said working face and having an end thereof fixed relatively to said magnet on a side of the hopper adjacent said magnet, and a magnetic member on the other end of said sheet for magnetically attaching to the magnet on the side of the magnet farthest from said hopper when the magnet is in inverted position.

9. In a magnetic sweeper, an axle, wheels on the axle to roll on the ground, a magnet suspended from the axle, the working face of the magnet normally facing toward the ground, a hopper frame journalled on the axle, a towing element on the frame, a hopper on the frame, means for turning the magnet to substantially inverted position with the working face toward said hopper, a non-magnetic sheet extended over said working face and having an end secured to a side of said hopper adjacent said magnet, and a magnetic member for attaching the other end of said sheet to said magnet.

10. In a magnetic sweeper, an axle, wheels journalled on the axle, brackets extended from the axle, and turnable with the axle, magnets on the brackets having working faces normally facing downwardly from said axle, a hopper frame journalled on the axle, a hopper on the frame, members on the axle to turn the axle and said magnets upwardly to move said working face to said hopper, a non-magnetic sheet having an end thereof secured to a side of the hopper adjacent said magnet, a magnetic element to magnetically attach the other end of the sheet to the magnets so as to extend said sheet over said working surface for collecting magnetic objects, in the normal position of the magnets and for dumping said objects into the hopper by detaching said magnetically attached end and turning said sheet over said hopper from the inverted position of said magnets.

11. In a magnetic sweeper a frame adapted to ride on the ground, a magnet, means to support the magnet on the frame invertibly from a downwardly facing position to a substantially inverted position, a hopper element on the frame near the inverted position of the magnet, and non-magnetic means to remove collected magnetic objects from the inverted magnet into said hopper element.

12. In a magnetic sweeper a frame adapted to ride on the ground, a magnet, means to support the magnet on the frame invertibly from a downwardly facing position to a substantially inverted position, a hopper element on the frame near the inverted position of the magnet, and non-magnetic means to remove collected magnetic objects from the inverted magnet into said hopper element, rollers on said magnet riding on the ground, and resiliently yieldable means connected to said support means to urge said magnet and rollers toward the ground.

13. A magnetic sweeper for a vehicle comprising, a magnetic pickup device, a collecting face on the device, suspending elements extended from said vehicle and holding said device normally with said face in operative relation to the ground, yieldable devices operatively connected to said magnetic device yieldably to urge said device toward the ground, means to swing said magnetic device from the ground to above said vehicle, and non-magnetic means to remove collected magnetic particles from said magnet face into said vehicle.

14. A magnetic sweeper for a vehicle comprising, a magnetic pickup device, a, collecting face on the device, suspending elements extended from said vehicle and holding said device normally with said face in operative relation to the ground, yieldable devices operatively connected to said magnetic device yieldably to urge said device toward the ground, means to swing said magnetic device from the ground to above said vehicle, and non-magnetic means to remove collected magnetic particles from said magnet face into said vehicle, rollers on said magnetic device for riding on the ground, and said non-magnetic means including a non-magnetic sheet detachably held upon said magnetic face.

DONALD E. STEM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 560,184 Barnard May 19, 1896 1,326,560 Ady Dec. 30, 1919 1,630,987 Turner May 31, 1927 1,961,336 Close June 5, 1934 2,090,639 Rose Aug. 24, 1937 2,340,303 Byrd Feb. 1, 1944 2,426,795 Sjostrom Sept. 2, 1947 2,455,319 Stearns Nov. 30, 1948 

